Protective case for inflatable articles



p 1 c. P. KRUPP PROTECTIVE CASE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1950 Z] FZ-KEUPP i2? Sept. 9, 1952 c, p, KRUPP 2,609,549

PROTECTIVE CASE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES Filed May 24, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 9, 1952 c. P. KRUPP 2,609,549

PROTECTIVE CASE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES Filed May 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 [55 Z] F'KHUFF wfw fizzy Patented Sept. 9, 1952 PROTECTIVE CASE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES 1 Carroll P. Krupp, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to. The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York- Application May 24, 195.0, Serial; No. 164,019

9 Claims. 1

This inventionrelatesv to protective cases for containing inflatable. articles in their deflated condition, and having provision for quick-opening under inflationof the contained article such, for example, as a deflated life raft and the like.

Heretofore, life rafts of bulky, non-collapsible construction, with or without protective tarpaulins thereon, have occupied an cbjectionably large storage space-on the deck of a ship and have required davi-ts or other mechanical lifting devices for launching the rafts into the water, which launching has consumed an objectionable amount of time, especially under emergency, conditions.

Liferafts of the inflatable type, generally stored in a deflated, folded condition and wrapped in a tarpaulin or. other'suitable covering, have necessitated removal of the tarpaulin, unfolding and inflation of the-raft on the deck before launchingthe raft into the water. Under emergency conditions, for example, such storage and launching of the raft havebeen objectionable because considerable timeis spent in uncovering and unfolding the. raft, in inflating it, and in lowering the inflated raft'from the deck into the water; because theinflated raft is awkward to handle during the launching,- and because there is danger of accidental loss or lack of suitable inflating apparatus for-the-raft.

An object of the invention is to provide for overcoming-the foregoing and'other disadvantages.

Other objects of the invention are to provide forquick-opening of a protective case by the application of; internal expansive force to. a divided wall thereof; to provide for protecting effectively an inflatable article in the deflated. condition; to provide for packing the deflated article compactly in the case and for releasing the packaged article by: inflating the same; to provide for preventing the entrance of water or other liquid into the case in. the closed condition. thereof; to provide for maintaining buoyancy ofthe case with thedeflated article therein; to provide for inflating the containeddeflated article by operation from the exterior of the case; to provide for opening the case and inflating the article by operation from a position close to or remote from the case; and to part of this specification,

tion of inflating pressure-fluid introduced' 'into the deflated raft in the. case; to. provide 'forlinfiating theraft by operation from the deck ofla shipor from the surface. of thewater inv which. the closed protective case is floating; to. provide for flexibility, foldabilityand waterproofness of the case; to provide for reliability. of inflating the raft while in the case toprovide for. inspection, and servicing of the containedraft andits accessories; to provide for minimizing the. stOr-ageSpacerequired for the raft on the ship; to providefor convenienceof launching the raftfrom the ship; and to provide for portability of the case and contained raft. v

These and other. objects and advantages.of 'the invention willbe apparentfrom the following; description.

In the. accompanying drawings which form a Fig. 1 is a view from above of an inflatable life raft in a deflated, partially folded condition, broken lines showing the raft in its extended or inflated condition,

Fig. 2 is a View from above showing the raftin a. fully folded condition, broken lines indicating the partially folded raft as shown inFigJl. Fig. 3. is. a viewof a protective case for .containing theraft especially in the fully folded condition, the case being shown dissociated from the raft andfully opened and beingv constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the protectivecase in. its closed. dispositionv having manipulating means connected with inflating means ofthe'contained raft, v

Fig. 5 is a perspective. view of the case. shown in Fig. 4 but having. the manipulatin means .in disassembled relation and dissociated from. the raft, parts beinglbrokenaway, A ,j Fig. 6 is a view' like.Fig.. 4' butshowing. the protective case partially opened during an initial. ill flating phase of the contained raft, f

Fig. '7 is a sectionalyiew in an enlargedscale taken along line. ll'. of. Fig. 4 showing the. manipulating meansv mounted in assembled. relation onthe casewith'. a handle in upraisedposition, parts being broken away, r v

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken, along line; 8-8 of Fig. 7, partsbeing brokenaway, and v Fig. 9- is a sectional view taken along line -,-9 of Fig. '7, parts being broken away. I Y

The protective. case It shown in the drawings, is of divided or sectional construction including manipulating means for inflating a containedinflatable article 26 by operation exteriorly of the case, and including means for opening. the case quickly under the inflation of the article to release the same. The case is made of impervious, flexible material which may be strong, squarewoven, textile fabric of cotton, nylon, rayon, or other suitable filamentary material coated or impregnated with a suitable material such as a natural or a synthetic rubber.

Although the protective case l may be made to accommodate the inflatable article such, for example, as a life raft 20 in the deflated, partially folded condition shown especially in Fig. 1, in the form illustrated, the case i0 is constructed and arranged to contain the life raft 20 in its fully folded condition shown especially in Fig. 2, for compact packaging and minimum occupied area on the supporting surface or deck of a ship or other vehicle carrying the lift raft.

The protective case comprises an entirely closed, elongated, hollow body or covering, as

, shown especially in Fig. 4, of divided form longitudinally thereof providing individual hollow sections II and I2, respectively, in separable relation one to the other, preferably fully separable,

as shown especially in Fig. 3, which sections II and. I 2 have detachably united, adjoining margins or marginal portions l3, [4 extending longitudinally and peripherally thereof.

. As shown especially in Fig. 4, the case case I has a divided, flexible wall portion including the .marginal portions [3 and I4 throughout most of the upper half of the case Hi, which wall portion has an overall area coextensive with the maximum horizontal cross-sectional area occupied by the folded life raft. Thus, the flexible marginal portions l3, l4 constituting the divided wall at the upper region of the case have substantial area for facilitating passage of the raft therebetween by virtue of extensive inward or outward flexure of the marginal portions thereby promoting the insertion of the folded raft, or the release of the raft upon inflation thereof. The flexibility of the marginal portions I3, l4 together with the fextensiveness of the divide longitudinally alongthe case facilitates a swinging movement of the sections H and I2 apart about a hinging zone'at l9 along the lower region of the case upon inflation of the raft, which swinging of the sections advantageously further facilitates passage of the partly inflated raft outwardly between the marginal portions l3, H as shown especially in Fig. 6.

The invention provides manipulating means L 2| disposed, as shown especially in Figs. 4, 5, 7, 8

and 9, on the margins l3, l4 desirably at the upper region of the case in and desirably at a position substantially centrally of opposite closed ends of the case for closing part of the margins l3, [4 of the longitudinal divide and for connection with the contained raft to facilitate inflating the same.

The manipulating means 2! includes a pair of clamping members or supporting plates 22, 23 of metal or other suitable strong, stiff material for disposition in mating, superimposed relation to one another, one of which plates 23 may be secured as by spaced-apart rivets 24, 24 to the margin I 4 at its inside face, as shown, especially in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. The plate 23 is mounted on the margin l4 so as to extend across the divide and substantially underlie and overlap the margin l3 for supporting locally both margins and for facilitating clamping the margins in edge-on relation between the plates 22, 23 for the engaged con- V the divide, may have, asgshown especially in Figs. 5 and 8, a shallow recess or depression at 25 of octagonal, circular or other suitable shape so as to provide a seating surface 26 substantially centrally of the plate, the margins l3, I4 being cut away at the depression. The plate 23, centrally of the depression at 25, has a keyed hole 21 through which a pull cable 28 of flexible, stranded wire, sheathed construction can be pulled.

The base plate 23 has grooves or channels 45, 4B in its upper surface, as shown especially in Figs. 5, '7 and 9, which channels extend longitudinally in the direction of the divide away from opposite sides of the depression at 25, that is, the channel 45 extends in one direction along the longitudinal divide from one end Wall of the depression at 25 to one end of the base plate 23, while the channel 46 extends in the opposite direction along the longitudinal divide from the opposite end wall of the depression 25 to the other end of the base plate 23 and extends in alignment with the channel 45, as shown especially in Figs. 5 and 7. The functioning of these channels will be described more fully hereinafter. The upper plate 22, at its upper surface, may have a handle-mounting boss with anaperture for alignment with the hole 21 and, at its recessed under surface, may have relatively shallow, longitudinal channels for alignment with the channels 45, 46 and may be provided with a peripheral sealing gasket 44 of suitable rubber for accommodating variation in thickness of the margins [3, I4 where they overlie the base plate 23.

For quick engagement and disengagement of the upper plate 22 with the base plate 23, the manipulating means has separable engagingclamping means which may comprise a metal stud 29 and cross pin 30 rotatively mounted in the aperture of the boss of the upper plate 22 and projecting downwardly therefrom for inserting through the keyed hole 21 and for engaging a hollow cage structure 3| fixedly secured to the under surface of the base plate 23 as by spaced-apart rivets 32, 33. The hollow cage structure 3| may be of sheet metal, bayonet lock type construction having indented cam portions 33, 34 upon which the cross pin 30 is adapted to ride and to seat in the indents for retaining separably the plates 22, 23 in their mating, clamping relation. The particular form of stud 29 and cage structure 3! shown in the drawings, is of the cowl fastener type gen erally used in aircraft.

The stud 29 is fixedly secured at its upper end to a suitable metal handle 35 and is secured at its lower end to the pull cable 28. A sealing washer 36 of resilient rubber having a dependent, tapered in cross section, annular flange is mounted, as shown especially in Fig. 8, in the under recess of the upper plate as by a split locking ring 36a; seating in a groove of the stud 29, whereby the flange of the washer 36 flexes and seals against the seating surface 26 to close the keyed hole 21.

A flexible sheath or cover 31 of spiral metal construction for the pull cable 28 may beattached to the base plate 23 by a nut type fitting 31a threadedly engaging an interiorly threaded boss of a suitable hollow, flanged support 38 secured also to the plate 23 by rivets 32, 32 as shown especially in Fig. '7. The flexible cover 3! at its lower end adjacent the engaging end of the pull cable 28 has, as shown especially in -Fig. 5, an exteriorly threaded fitting 39 for by the teeth. v iA-ll the teeth are 'fully di'sengagable frornone ianother ina progressive -n'iannertalongv the rha'rginsbeginningiwith each terminal :end of th'eseries of teeth at opposite sides of" the .recess Sea-ling elements or str l saeoogue LanreaAeatLBngagemenr aimless-dame Twit- 5H. at

the engaging end of-iaisecondpull cable M; The

-1 adjacent. engaging ends. of .the .-cables 28 and :44! have iballand socket means 42 for; connecting "'separablythetwo cables. Theiesecond :cable 4| has, desirably, a flexible-sheathiorcover .of

suitable construction and suitably reinforced :at its end nearest the nut.

For detachably uniting the margins 13., i4

*o'f the hollow sectionsill, l2, the invention :provide's separable fastener means, preferably slide fastener teeth ll, 58 of metalzmaterial'mounted i in series on flexible stringers 68,150 of suitable impervious ia'bric material, suitably: .adhesively oriotherwise secured to 'the'marg'insil 3, VJ l, pref s'ierably "at their adjacent edges, the stringers =-being protected by impervious cover stapes 49a, 50a adhered thereto "and ltofthe margins L-l-3, M.

The ite'eth extend peripherally and continuously :aioundthe margins, except that each series :of -teeth terminatesat opposite sidessofthecre'cess .ordepressicnziat 2.5 in the base ipate L23,,.as:shown especiallyin Fig. 5, :to provide-a short zone along which the'margins are not. joined: to one another at 25,- which progressive disengaging .:action starting at the rec'ess at 2.5 is compelled hy' the K outward iiexure of T the margins and: the separating fore'e laterally of the margins "resulting from the initial inflating and partial unfolding "of the contained rait, as shown; especiallyin Fig. '6; thereby facilitating the passageof the partially inflated raft outwardly between :the

disengaged parts of --the'rnargins. Upon :con'

" tinu'ed inflation of the-partially released raft,

the teeth continue to disengageprogressively around the'ends toward the loweriregio-nofthe case ll! facilitating-the desired swinging move merit of the sections l, 12 relative to oneanoth'er about the hinging zone at 19' so that the raft is fully released from the case. "Full separaticn.. 'of-lhesections may even occur inflation stage. I e2 of "res'ilient rubber materialinety be disposedatthe inner "face "oftheflr nargins it, i l for preventing the. "passage" of fwater or other liquid through the "divide for "proteetion against/accidental "damage. The sealing elements may be mounted in part "on the teeth "4'7, s8 and inpart' on 'the stringers 49.58, and may be generally L shaped during the latter p and; isradvantageous .:;in .thatiiornthe closed con.- :dition: of the :case, 'ithesealingelements-increase their resilient sealing pressure, "when increase is floating partially submerged in. the' water; I

since the .res1ilting .-increase.lin pressure of "-contained air :due. to the water'headthereonrpresses the sealing elements into v:tighter :sealing :rela- 'tionship. This sealingga'ction prevents effectively the entrance of. water into the closed 'cas'e'rtand avoids :full submergence :o'f the case before-"the manipulating :means can be operated to initiate the inflation of the raft.

The hollow sections :u, 1.2 may .be meannectedby hinging straps l5, l5and 16,-1.6 of suitable fabric material disposed :-at thesslower .ior'base' region of the .case its. and secured to the flexible, :rubb'erizediabric wall of each sect-ion ll, l2 as by sewing, or by a suitable air-curing rubber cement, or .byboth, 'whioh'zhinging' straps cross-section providing -portions of the "ole mentsjprojecting toward one another and itapering. .to edges for disposition of the portions in overlapping contact with one another such that the edge .of'jone tapered" portion contacts...

. dispositionof. the sealing elements 5-1,

52 at the inner faceef; the margins .13, Hi -pro- ;vides for. initial; sealing. tat zeroqpressure i. e. z; without the-applicationofi-supplementalpressure advantageously prevent "accidental loss of either section for 'thefully openedwcondition 'of""'the .case,:asrshmvn especially in Fig. 3. Desirably,

the straps 1'5, 15 andrlat, I6 at their endsrare formed" with looped portions 11,. l7 and .18, 'Ll'B constituting flexible carrying handles. .Asfshown especially in Fig. the hinging straps have fullness across the dividefor permitting separating 1 movement "ofilthe sections 1 entirely along the margins.

. Forinspection and servicing. purposes-,xthe: wall of the hollow section l2zm'ay have a longitudinal slit, Iior example, at one end of the case 1Z0, as shown especially in Figs. 4 :andi6, theslit being closed byxa suitable sealing slide fastener' con- .structionrfih. flihe 'slidefastener constructionzSS is taped or otherwise suitably sealed :at :the

ends-of the slit and the teeth are engaged :and

disengaged by a runner 54 mounted permanently on the teeth;-whereas in thelslide. fastener' construction at the margins 13, M, the runnernot shown) for engagingthe teeth 41; dB is removed entirely from the teeth ll, 48 after their-engagement to permit thelfu llseparation-of jthe teeth and the sections H1, 12.

The case maybe provi'dedxwith a-flap 55 ofy isuitable 'fabricwmaterialsecured. to the section II at the exterior thereof and "adjacent the manipulating means, asshown especially in=Fig.

'5, the Jii'aip beingof folded'construction having,

as shown in-l ig. 5, an attaching portion which extends along and. is suitably secured to "the Wall of the section Ii, .merging'with a; handleengaging portion adapted tofold about apart of the D-shaped handle 35 in its depressed position and then extendalong the attaching portion in overlapping superimposed relation ;-thereto, as shown in Fig. 4;the portions being gdetachably fastened together-in the superimposed relationship and at :a position spaced from the .ioldby a separable snap fastener 56 .Lso. that the flap will, hold.- t'he handle 35 iri=adepressed condition against the wall of the-section.-l l ,;-.as shown especially in .Fig. 4.

Strap fasteners 51, .58. may be secured "at spaced-apart positions. to :the inside o ;;the section-s H and 12 adjacent thelower-region-of the case, as shown especially .in Fig. 3 for detachably holding paddles or cars 59-, fig atsueh region so that they act as weights-promoting maintenance f the raft upright -in the ater. To package the liferaft, the protective .case

, I0 may-be disposedsin the fully opened condition shown -especiallyin.Figl...3, with the separated sections. Llil, .l.'2.substantially. flat upon the .deck

of va-Iship. The raftinthe-dejfla ted, extended condition showni'in brokenlines in Fig. 1,-may

" haveits aft portion folded over. its central 'porstionJand then have .its forward portion folded I over the aft and central portions in the direction -firsttoward the aft and second toward the bow of the'raft, whereby the bow fold is uppermost as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. It is desirable that the bow fold be located substantially L centrallyIof the folded raft whereby the inflating :means' or CD2 inflating cartridge 60 having a conduit 6| in communication with the uppermost or bow fold, may be centrally disposed. The-raft, folded compactly as described hereinabove, may be positioned 11110118 section, for example, section H and the other section 12 placed about the raft and joined to the section IL-so. as to enclose the raft entirely within the 1 case;

tov protect the ,folded raft therein.

The protective case In can be opened by means of the slide fastener structure 53 in the section j Relatively large size rafts generally. require further folding, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2,to provide more compactness of packaging and to minimize the amount of deck storage space needed. This'may be accomplished by inwardly folding the opposite side portions of the folded raft of Fig. 1 into overlying relation with parts of the bow fold to provide space between the folded side portions for the CO2 inflating cartride and to permit partial inflation and upward movement of the bow fold so as to compel swinging of the side portions of the raft upwardly and laterally away from one another.

With the raft folded as shown in Fig. 2, and contained in the engaged hollow sections l2, the bow fold is disposed longitudinally of the case adjacent and underlying the manipulating means 2|. A suitable runner is used to engage the series of teeth 41, 48 beginning at one terminal end portion thereof at one side of the manipulating means and terminating at the other terminal end portion at the opposite side 'of the manipulating means, after which the runner is entirely removed from the teeth at such other terminal end portion. The engagement of the teeth draws together and overlaps the sealing elements 5|, 52, and joins'the margins l3, I4 throughout their periphery, except along the recess at 25.

' The -longitudinally spaced-apart end portions of the engaged teeth and sealing elements are then disposed in the grooves 45, 46 of the base plate 23, as shown especially in Fig. 5, while parts of the margins 13, I4 overlie the base plate 23', so that the recessed and grooved upper plate 22 including its sealing gasket 44 can be mounted upon the engaged margins, teeth, and sealing elements and detachably secured to plate 23 in alignment therewith. To this end, the stud 29 is inserted through the keyed hole 21 and turned by the handle 35 so that the cross pin 30 seats upon the cam portions 33, 3d of the cage structure 3| while the tapered flange of the sealing washer 36 resiliently presses against the seating surface 26 of the base plate,'as shown especially -'in Figs. 7 and 8;'whereby the keyed hole 21 is sealed. Also, the plates 22, 23 are held tightly together such that the margins I3, l4, the teeth 41, 48, and the sealing elements 5|, 52 are "clamped between the plates, as shown especiallyin Fig. 9, to seal effectively the divide along the spaced-apart terminal end portions of the teeth and sealing elements at the recess at 25. The overlappingly engaged sealing elements are thus pressed sealingly against one 1 another and against the walls of the grooves I 45.46 continuously along the latter. The case-' I2 to permit inspecting the contained raftand to facilitateconnecting the flexible, sheathed,

pull cable28 to the flexible sheathed cable 4| which; is in turn connected to the C02 in.- flating cartridge 60, as shown especially in Fig. 4, the cable-to-cable connection being made by joining the ball and socket means 42 and threadedly engaging the fitting 39 and nut 40. The flexible sheath or cover 31 of the pull cable .28 constitutes with the flexible sheath or cover 43 of the cable 4| a flexible hollow support column 'of determinant length extending between and bearing against the base plate 23 and the cartridge 60 for facilitating sufiicient axial movement of the interconnected cables to open the car- .tride-for inflation of the raft and for preventing objectionable movement of the cartridge toward the manipulating means under the pulling action of the interconnected cables. Subsequent closure of the slide fastener structure 53 returns the case H] to its fully closed and sealedcondition.

- 1 Although the case may be opened and the raft inflated on the deck of the ship, in emergency use of the raft, for example, the case It! and the contained raft 20 are preferably thrown, shoved, dropped, or otherwise quickly lowered from the deck of the ship into the water. If desired, before the case is lowered into the water, a suitable rope, to be held by the operator, may be tied to the handle 35, and the handle turned to release the stud 29 from engagement with the cage structure 3| and then lifting the handle for partially withdrawing the stud through the keyed opening 21 of the base plate forfacilitating subsequent full separation of the stud and upper plate from the base plate.

The closed protective case and contained raft, with or without the rope secured to the handle, floats upon the surface of the water by virtue of its buoyancy and water-tight construction, and the engaged sealing elements retain the air within the case and resist the entrance of water through the divide. r

When the handle 35 is turned to disengage the stud 29 from the cage structure 3| for removal of the stud through the keyed hole 2.1, the handle 35 and plate 22 as a unit can be lifted subsequently upwardly of the case It to a position spaced from the margins l3, I4, as shown especially in Fig. 5, to pull both cables 28 and 4| sufficiently to open the CO2 inflating cartridge '50.

The opening of the CO2 inflating cartridge inflates first the folded bow portion of the raft, which initial inflation causes outward or upward flexure of the margins I3, I 4 and lateral separating force thereon at the upper region of the case l0 and. produces greatest flexure and force at the manipulating means 2 I. Since the plates 22, 23 of the manipulating means are now fully apart, as shown especially in Figs. 5 and6, the upward flexure of the margins I3, [4 causes the engaged teeth and sealing elements to be lifted out of the grooves 45, 46 of the base plate 23,

- whereby the flexure and lateral separating force of the margins produces the progressive disengagement 'of the series of teeth 41, 48 beginning at their lifted, spaced apart terminal end portions at the manipulating means 2| and in the longitudinal direction away from opposite sides ofthe manipulating means, as shown especially in Fig. 6. The flexibility of the wall at the upper region-of the protective case lllfacilitatesthe 3..-A quick-opening protective case for releasably containing an uninflated inflatable article and: its inflating means, said case comprising a closed hollow covering of impervious flexible material and of divided form throughout its extent in a direction along the covering providing a pair of individual hollow sections entirely separable one from the other having adjacent margins of said material in edge-on relation extending throughout the entire peripheral extent of the sections along the divide, slide fastener teeth in series on said margins, closing strips of resilient rubber on said margins at said teeth coextensive with said series thereof and having tapered portions projecting laterally of the margins toward one another for closing said margins by overlapping contacting relation of said strips in the engaged condition of said teeth, said teeth and said strips terminating in adjacent end portions peripherally spaced-apart at a position on said margins, said teeth being separable in a progressive manner beginning at each of said end portions thereof, a pair of superimposed clampin plate members mounted on and overlapping said margins at said position thereon and separably holding the margins in the edge-on relation in sandwiched disposition between said plate members and having aligned apertures therethrough at the divide, one of said members being detachable. relative to the other member and to said margins and an engaging structure supported by and detachably clamping said members together and having a movable pull element extending through said aligned apertures in the plate members for connection with the inflating means of the contained article to facilitate inflating the article by pulling said pull element from the exterior of the covering in the closed condition whereby the article in its initial inflation stage provides distension of said sections and separating force on said margins resulting in progressive separation of said teeth and closing strips-and said individual hollow sections for progressive passage of the article between said margins under continued inflation of the article.

4. YA quick-opening protective case for releasablycontaining an uniflated inflatable article and-its inflating means, said case comprising a o hollow covering of generally cylindrical shape and impervious flexible material having spaced-apart closedend portions and upper and lower wall portions interconnecting said closed end portions, said covering being of divided form longitudinally thereof throughout at least the upper wall portion and diametrically and entirely across both, closed end portions to provide adjacent margins of said material in edge-on relation for passage of the contained article therebetween, slide fastener teeth on said margins in series along the same, closing strips of resilient rubber on said margins at the inner face thereof and at said teeth coextensive with said series thereof and having tapered portions projecting laterally of said margins toward one another for closing the margins by overlapping contacting relation of said strips in the engaged condition of the teeth, said margins at a position along the series of teeth on said upper wall portion havin a narrow zone free of said teeth and said closing strips to provide spaced-apart adjacent end portions of the teeth and closing strips, said teeth being separable in a progressive manner beginning at said end portions under separating force on said margins resulting from initial inflation of the article to permit widening the divide and flexure of the margins for passage of the article:

under continued inflation thereof, a pair of superimposed apertured clamping plate members mounted on said margins at said zone overlapping said margins and said end portions of the teeth and closing stripand separably holding the same in sandwiched disposition between said members, one of said plate members having at a face thereof means for accommodating said end portions of the teeth and closing strips, and an engaging structure supported by and detachably clamping said plate members together and having means including a pull element extending through the apertures in said plate members for connection with the inflating means of the article and operable from the exterior of the covering to operate the inflating means. a

5. Manipulating means for a protective case of divided form having at the divide adjacent margins in edge-on relation which case is adapted to contain an uninflated inflatable article and its inflating means, said manipulating means comprising a clamping plate member for attachment to one of said margins and disposition in separable underlying supporting relation to the other margin of the case and said plate member having an aperture extending therein from face to face thereof at a position spaced from the ends and the sides thereof, a second clamping plate member disposed in the engaged condition of said manipulating means in superimposed faceto-face separable relation. to the first said memher and having an aperture extending therethrough in alignment with said aperture of the first said member, and engaging means mounted on and clamping said members detachably together in the superimposed face-to-face relation for holding said other margin in its edge-on relation to the first said margin sandwiched between said members, said engaging means having a pull element detachably mounted on said second member and in said engaged condition of the manipulating means extending through both said apertures of said members in. movable relation therewith, and said engaging means having means connected to said pull element for connection. with the inflating means of the contained article so as to permit-inflating the contained article by operation of said engaging means from the exterior of the case in its closed condition.

6. Manipulating means as defined in claim 5 in which the connection meansof said engaging means comprises a flexible sheathed pull cable structure having its sheath attached to the flrst said clamping plate member and having its pull cable connected directly to said pull element of the engaging means, the sheath of said cable structure providing a flexible hollow support column of determinant length for extending between the first clamping plate member and the inflating means of the contained article to preulating means comprising a pair of clamping;

13 plate members disposed in superimposed face-toface separable relation one to the other in the engaged condition of said manipulating means for overlapping disposition relative to the margins and the end portions of the teeth and closing strips to hold said margins in the edge-on relation and said end portions separably clamped between said members, one of said clamping plate members being attachable to one of said margins and positionable in separable underlying supporting relation to the other margin and having an aperture extending therein from face-to-face thereof at a position spaced from the ends and the sides thereof and having in one face thereof a pair of spaced-apart aligned grooves each extending from a position adjacent said aperture to an end of the member for accommodating said end portions of the teeth and closing strips, the other clamping plate member having an aperture extending therethrough in alignment with said aperture of the first said plate member, and engaging means mounted on clamping said members detachably together in the super imposed face-to-face relation, said engaging means having a pull element mounted on said other clamping plate member in said aperture thereof and in said engaged con ition of the manipulating m ans extending aperture of the first said plate member in movable detachable relation thereto and means con-= nected to said pull element for connection with the inflating means of the contained article so as to permit inflating the contained article by operation of said engaging means from the exterior of the case in its closed condition.

8. Manipulating means for a protective case of divided form having at its divide adjacent margins in edge-on relation with slide fastener teeth in series and resilient closing strips on the mar gins terminating at a narrow zone along the margins to provide spaced-apart adjacent end portions of the teeth and closing strips and said case being adapted to contain an uninflated inflatable article and its inflating means, said manipulating means comprising a pair of clamping plate members disposed in superimposed face-toface separable relation one to the other in the engaged condition of said manipulating means for overlapping disposition relative to the margins and the end portions of the teeth and closing strips to hold said margins in the edge-0n relation and said end portions separably clamped between said members, one of said clamping plate members being attachable to one of said margins and positionable in separable underlying supporting relation to both said margins and having an aperture extending therein from face to face thereof at a position spaced from the ends and the sides thereof and a recess in one of said faces of the member extending about said aperture with a depth less than the thickness of said member to provide a seating surface at the bottom of said recess, and said member having in said face thereof a pair of spaced-apart aligned grooves each extending away from said recess to an end of the member for accommodating said end portions of the teeth and closing strips, the other clamping plate member having an aperture extending therethrough in alignment with said aperture of the first said plate member, and an engaging structure mounted on said clamping plate members for detachably clamping the members together in the superimposed face-to-face relationship, said through said engaging structure having a movable stud element mounted on said other clamping plate member in said aperture thereof and in said engaged condition of the manipulating means extending through said aperture of the first said plate member in movable detachable relation thereto, and said engaging structure having flexible cable means connected to said stud element for connection with the inflating means of the contained article, and a sealing element mounted on said stud element in sealing relation therewith having a dependent annular flange of resilient rubber extending axially along and about the stud element in spaced-apart relation thereto and tapering to an edge seating against said seating surface of said recess in sealing relation therewith in the engaged condition of the manipulating means.

9. A quick-opening protective case for releasably containing an uninflated inflatable article and its inflating means, said case comprising a closed hollow body cf'impervious flexible material for receiving the article and its inflating means and having a wall of divided form providing marginal portions of said flexible material in edge-on relation along the divide for passage of the article between said portions, slide fastener ele ments in series on said portions, flexible closing strips of resilient rubber on said portions at said fastener elements coextensive with said series thereof and disposed on said portions at the interior of said hollow body, each closing strip projecting laterally of said portions toward the other closing strip and tapering to an edge for closing said portions by overlapping contacting relation of said strips with the edge of one closing strip pressing resiliently against the other closing strip in the engaged condition of the fastener elements so as to effect sealing at said edge under slight and zero fluid pressures and also under higher fluid pressures within said hollow body in its closed condition, a pair of superimposed apertured clamping members supported by and separablyholding said portions together in edge-on relation and separably and sealingly contacting said closing s rips in their over-lapping contacting relationship, and engaging means mounted on and detachably securing said members together and extending through the apertures of said members for connection with said inflating means to facilitate inflating the contained article by operation of said engaging means from the exterior of said hollow body in its closed condition, said slide fastener elements being separable from one another under separating force thereon provided by distension of said portions through partial inflation of the contained article to permit widening the divide and fiexure of the disengaged marginal portions for outward passage of the article upon continued inflation thereof.

CARROLL P. KRUPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,095,974 Finch Oct. 19, 193': 2,114,301 l'larrigan Apr. 19, 1938 2,173,567 Shafer Sept. 19, 1939 2,444,859 Sturtevant July 6, 1948 

